The Last Year at Hogwarts
by SaltyInu
Summary: Draco spends his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry despite his struggles with the students who resent him for his past actions. A lively and non judgemental classmate helps him make new friends and clear the black mist surrounding him, and, perhaps, even giving him a chance to love.
1. Chapter 1: Pumpkin Juice

Author's note:

This is a fanfiction about Draco's student life after the Battle of Hogwarts, in his last year. Themes are bullying, a small scene regarding self harm so this is a trigger warning in advance. It's my first time writing a fanfic, so feedback would be highly appreciated.

I felt like the choice of Astoria being Draco's future wife wasted a lot of potential for his character to develop, so I created a character of my own. No hate please; it's just my opinion on things and what felt to me would've been a more interesting back story. DM me your comments, positive or negative and I'll respond and try my best to correct any errors I've made. And yep, that's it. Hope you enjoy it!

The Last Year at Hogwarts

Chapter 1: Pumpkin Juice

Draco sat up on the stiff infirmary bed and looked around while anxiously waiting for Madam Pomfrey's arrival. His eyes settled on a corner of the infirmary that was covered by a pile of rubble; repairs were not yet finished at Hogwarts.

Three months after the great Battle of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, the new Headmaster, announced that the last year would be started anew due to the misconduct and serious deviation from rules carried out by the Death Eaters. "It is not compulsory for those who were present at the battle of course," she had stated. "But this would provide them with a healthy distraction while they recover both physically and mentally, and provide a sanctum to those who now consider Hogwarts their only home until a new one can be found for them."

Draco had a choice between his own home and Hogwarts. Much to his parent's shock and dismay, he chose the latter. He had no wish to be around the ex-Death Eaters or walk the dreary halls of Malfoy Manor, even if it meant that he would suffer backlash from the students of his school.

He did, however, underestimate the intensity of the hate that they bore, as well as overestimated his ability to handle it. Two months into the new term, the hushed and terrified whispers around him grew into loud taunts and insults. Pranks were played on him by those who were most bitter about the battle and he was unable to stand up for himself as he normally would, because with each day and each cruel word, he felt more strongly that he deserved to be punished and resented due to his crimes and his affiliation with Lord Voldemort. Even those in Slytherin house feared him. For the first time, he was at Hogwarts alone.

The quiet and distinct sound of footsteps roused him from the depressing thoughts running through his head, and he drew out his arm, face contorting with pain, as Madam Pomfrey's shadow loomed over him. He tried not to betray any sign of discomfort under her critical and watchful gaze as she cleaned and redressed his wounds.

"You ought to tell the teachers what you're going through, Mr. Malfoy," she chided after a long and awkward silence. "I worry for your health."

"Isn't it your job to worry for the students' health?" he muttered under his breath. She scowled at him, the words not unnoticed.

"You still ought to tell."

He sat there in silence.

"Clearly this was self inflicted, Mr. Malfoy!" she said loudly and impatiently.

His mind raced back to the past week when some student found him asleep in the library over a potion's book. While he was asleep, a spell was sneakily cast onto the back of his robes, bestowing on him the title 'Death Eater' in bright emerald. He had no idea of it until after he took the robes off before going to bed, because nobody had bothered to inform him or fix what was written on his back. It made his cheeks burn with shame and anger; most of all, disgust at himself and his past actions. In his fury he went to the boys' bathroom and inflicted curse after curse after curse on the red scar-like image on his arm that resembles his old Dark Mark. But no matter how deep he cut, or how many different ways he sliced open the skin on which the scar had settled, the red tint would not go away. He then staggered to the infirmary that night and a horrified Madam Pomfrey's tended to him with discretion, much to his relief.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he answered grimly, once more recalled to the present.

She shook her head indignantly. "Stubborn as a mule, you are, and equally stupid too! Drink this; it will ease the pain," she said while handing him a cup of clear liquid.

He took one sip and almost choked, coughing and sputtering after getting it down. It tasted bitter and acidic.

"It's disgusting!" he exclaimed, unable to keep his composure.

"Well what did you expect?" she replied with a ghost of a smile on her face. "Pumpkin juice?"

He chuckled as she left.

"No ma'am."


	2. Chapter 2: Egg Hunt

Chapter 2: Egg Hunt

The day had finally come when Draco was well enough to be released from the infirmary, and he hated it for what it was worth. In the infirmary, he was safe from his classmates, the taunts and the fear. But now he would have to endure it all over again.

The thought made him have an urge to do away with his life again but it was soon silenced by another thought. 'This is your punishment, Draco,' he told himself. 'For being a coward and for hurting innocent people. You must endure it, because that's the only way you can repent for what you did to them.'

He was so occupied with his thoughts that he could barely process the advice Madam Pomfrey was giving him regarding his health.

"Mr. Malfoy, is there something wrong?" she asked curtly.

"What? Oh...well..." Draco was startled for a moment and looked at the ground nervously.

"My Potion's class doesn't start until two hours from now," he answered. "And I don't know where to go or what to do till then." The dorm would most likely be filled with familiar faces, and he couldn't walk on the grounds freely without coming across a hostile student or two either. He definitely refused to go to the library after the last incident as well. He wasn't safe anywhere...

"If I remember correctly," Madam Pomfrey said as she rearranged some empty glass vials beside his bed, "the Care of Magical Creatures class will start half an hour from now."

"Isn't that class supposed to be in the afternoon?"

"The time was shifted to the morning, as of this year. Professor McGonagall thought it fit to consider it as an extracurricular class this year, because it's not a difficult subject and Hagrid puts the students at ease. The class is in the morning so that anyone can attend it."

"But the students-" Draco began.

He was interrupted by Madam Pomfrey abruptly.

"The students," she said, "are mostly third years who are new to the subject and haven't gotten bored of it yet, or recovering students who need some fresh air, such as you. I always ask my patients to attend the class when they leave but most of them prefer staying in their dorms, so you shouldn't run into anyone unpleasant."

Draco mulled over the idea in his head for a while. It seemed like the best option he had at the moment. He was, however, nervous about seeing Hagrid again, having tried to do him and his career so much harm in the past.

"I'll go," he finally said.

He hurried off to his dorm and evaded the fearful glances thrown at him by his fellow Slytherins, put on a new set of robes and left. He got to the class stationed in front of Hagrid's cabin just in time to see Hagrid giving his students a speech.

"So if you'll turn to page 97 right 'ere, you'll see-" he stopped short as he saw Draco take a place behind the crowd, standing silently. He looked surprised, and perhaps a little fearful, which put Draco in great disdain.

"You'll see what a Hippogriff egg looks like," he continued slowly. Draco looked around at the students flipping the pages and examining the book, and he realised he didn't have one with him. A great sense of unease filled him.

"Fer those of you who don't have a book, look right over 'ere," Hagrid said kindly in his direction, raising the book so that he could see the picture. He flushed at the unexpected show of kindness from a person who he was so horrible to in the past, and he tried not to show any expression as he examined the picture of a large, grey, oval shaped egg.

Hagrid lowered the book. "This time of the year, the Hippogriffs lay eggs. They only lay one at a time, mind you, an' are extremely delicate. Break easily if you so much as even touch 'em the wrong way. They lay the eggs in nests on the ground, an' most of 'em don't make it cause the centaurs, thestrals an' the like don't watch where they're goin'. Today, yer task is to hunt those eggs."

Murmurs and soft whispers exploded in the crowd. The students were nervous; they were all aware of how dangerous the Dark Forest is.

Hagrid cleared his throat and the students went quiet. "Don't be scared," he said. "The forest is mostly dangerous at night, so you won't meet anythin' life threatenin'. The eggs aren't in the deep parts of the forest either, so you don't even need to go that far. Just send up some blue sparks when you find an egg, an' I'll come and get it. When the class is over, I'll send up red sparks an' you all will come back to this spot. If yer lost, send up green sparks an' I'll find you."

"There aren't many eggs and goin' alone isn't a good idea, so everybody split into groups of two."

The students shuffled about and within seconds Draco found himself without a partner. Luckily nobody taunted him. The class was full of younger students and the older ones looked like they had no energy to say anything to him; they just wanted a distraction to recover. However, they all averted their gaze away from him as he scanned the group for a potential partner. The sudden silence and awkwardness made his situation feel hopeless.

Just when he began to think of abandoning the class with a weak excuse, he felt a shoulder bump into his side gently. He turned his head to see a girl with raven hair, probably a year younger than him, looking straight ahead with an absolutely determined expression on her face. Everyone, including Draco and Hagrid, looked at her in surprise.

"Well, Professor, what are you waiting for?" she said earnestly. "Let's go!"

Hagrid blinked away his surprise and cleared his throat again to call the attention of the dumbfounded students. "Y-yes, off you all go now! Quickly!"

They all walked towards the forest leisurely and each team went their separate ways after reaching the outskirts, their silhouettes gradually getting more and more obscured by the branches of the trees until they were out of sight.

The silence between Draco and his peculiar partner grew as the trees drowned out the sound of humans life. The only audible sounds that could be heard were the chirping of birds and the soft trickle of a nearby stream.

"Isn't your name Draco? Draco Malfoy?" she finally asked after what felt like hours of awkwardness. He stepped over a tree root as they scanned the ground carefully.

"Yes."

Silence fell again and this time it only grew more uncomfortable. He wondered how on earth she could talk to him so nonchalantly without being harsh or scared despite knowing who he is.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" she said.

"I don't talk to people I barely know," he retorted. He regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth and mentally slapped himself.

"Stingy," she murmured under her breath. He stayed silent, not knowing what to say in response. Should he apologise? He had to think of how to say the words first-

"Yeah, I'm a stranger so I guess that's normal. Don't worry about it..." She suddenly stopped in front of him and turned, facing him. He lowered his gaze and saw her outstretched arm.

"I'm Cathryn Ford. It's nice to meet you, Draco."

He felt bewildered at her sudden display of friendship and looked at the small hand apprehensively. He had his doubts about what kind of a person she was, but despite his hesitancy, he slowly took it. They shook hands silently. Her hand was warm, compared to his cold one, and the warmth gave him a form of reassurance. They let go and walked side by side with their focus on the forest floor littered with leaves, searching for the egg intently.

"So...what did you do to your arm?" she asked casually.

Her question caught him completely off guard and he turned to look at her sharply. She hadn't lifted her eyes off the ground, and did not seem bothered by his stern expression. He gathered that she had probably snuck a peek at his bandages when they were shaking hands.

"It was an accident."

She snuck a stealthy glance at him. "Everybody knows what you're going through, but nobody bothers to help," she said dejectedly.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Cathryn," he replied, feeling a twinge of anger rise in him. As if he didn't know that already.

She grimaced. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that so directly...why don't you ask the professors for help? You know they can't help you if you deny that nothing's wrong and lie about being fine."

"I was always a tattler, and people hate me for how much trouble I caused using that. I don't want to go back to being one again," he answered curtly without thinking. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He didn't want anybody to know something like that, especially not a stranger, yet it slipped out. Was it because he needed to get his thoughts out? Because he could no longer endure the suffocation anymore now that somebody finally willingly asked him something personal? Had he been waiting for somebody to notice after all this time, despite his views on bearing the pain as punishment? Yes. Yes, he had been waiting. He wanted a friend, someone to talk to, more than anything.

"At times like this, don't you want a friend to talk to? Someone who would understand and help? Someone to show you kindness so that you know you deserve a place in this world?" she asked quietly, looking directly at him. Her accuracy stunned Draco.

"How did you..."

"I went through it too," she answered. She bit her lip in silent contemplation before speaking again.

"When I was a child, I couldn't control my magic. I was always bullied or feared by the other normal Muggle children, even my teachers. Nobody wanted to be my friend or have anything to do with me because I was different. But I couldn't help it, you know? I couldn't just make it stop...but then I got accepted into Hogwarts. The people were kind and I finally felt like I belonged somewhere," she said happily.

"I'll help you change how the people see you and bring you back to the Hogwarts you love."

He was amazed at how confidently she could say something like that. He was equally surprised at how she could understand the things he never said to anyone. Yes, in the beginning he didn't like Hogwarts. But over the years, he had gradually come to like it. His feelings couldn't develop into love, however, because he had fallen in deep with the wrong people at the wrong time. There was a throbbing pain in his chest; perhaps because this was his first time empathising with someone genuinely without any ulterior motive or falseness. Finally there was someone who knew how it felt to be cast away.

He nodded silently, unable to say any words of gratitude, and continued walking on. He had a faint smile on his lips and Cathryn noticed.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked curiously.

"Well..." he began slowly. "It's funny how before I would have stopped talking to you as soon as I knew you were a Muggle, but now I couldn't be happier."

She stumbled over a tree root, caught unawares at his sudden honesty. He seemed embarrassed at himself as he refused to look at her after saying something like that. 'She's an alright person,' Draco said to himself. 'And maybe a good friend.'

"I don't understand one other thing," she went on. Was it him or was she full of questions? "Why don't you stand up for yourself? You obviously changed a lot, and you aren't as bad as people told me you are."

"It's because I deserve it," he said simply. "I harmed so many good people...tortured them, even came close to killing them. This is punishment for my sins against those people."

She let out an exasperated sigh. 'Everything she does just gets stranger and stranger,' he thought, watching her calculatingly.

"Well you couldn't help it!", she said angrily, her first real display of emotion after they were alone. "Just like I couldn't help it either...your safety and your family's safety was at risk so of course you had to obey! I'd do the same if I were in your place. In fact, any normal person who wants to survive would!"

Draco remained silent.

She boldly made her way up to him with long, confident strides and a scowl on her face. Was she going to hit him? He braced himself for whatever would come, determined not to defy or resist.

But instead of the expected stinging pain, he only felt her palm rest against the top of his head, pressing down on it. In a fraction of a second, she ruffled his hair as roughly as she could, seeming to take out her frustration on him in the most peculiar manner. By the time she was done, his hair was sticking up on end. He saw her walk off with her fists swinging by her side angrily, and he touched his hair with his hand, wondering what on earth had just happened. He just couldn't make sense of such a peculiar person, but whatever she did felt warm. It felt kind and comforting, and at that moment, he was glad to have her as...did he dare say it? A friend.

She suddenly stopped a few feet in front of him and crouched on the ground.

"I found it!" she exclaimed loudly. He hurried to her side and sure enough, saw a grey egg lying on a large nest secured safely between two tree roots in the soil. A surge of happiness went through him. Today was probably one of the happiest days in his life, despite the fact that nothing extraordinary had happened.

"You did it..." he murmured, amazed.

" _We_ did it, you mean," she said happily in response, grinning as she looked up at him. He smiled at her, at her way of making other people happy and at her determination to be friends with him. They both shot up sparks into the sky as high as they could with their wands, feeling as elated as the blue flecks that danced and rose into the air.

Within ten minutes, Hagrid found them. He picked up the egg tenderly and wrapped it in a piece of cloth.

"Blimey! You two are the first ones to find 'em!" he exclaimed joyously, his eyes twinkling.

'Nothing extraordinary? Of course, something extraordinary had happened today! I finally got a friend!' Draco told himself, almost unable to stand still in excitement. He couldn't stop grinning once he had started. For the first time, he felt like the happiest man in the world.


	3. Chapter 3: KO

Chapter 3: K.O.

Draco Malfoy walked up the spiraling staircase slowly, making his way to the Great Hall from the Slytherin common room. The beams of sunlight lit up his frowning face and he felt frustration welling up inside him.

A week ago, his father was to send him an important letter involving the Ministry of Magic. Some kind of written testimony to acknowledge the damage he did during the Battle and a promise to never do something like that again. It wasn't his first; he had even gone to trial alongside his father and mother, but thanks to Narcissa Malfoy's hand in saving Harry, their family was not punished. Some even called her the last minute savior, which Draco found displeasing. After all, she was only concerned about him, not everybody else. Helping everybody else was just a side effect of her goal to make sure Draco was safe.

An important letter like that had not come with his owl last week. When he went up to the owlery to see if his owl Gideon had it, he found it with empty talons and a broken wing instead. After rushing it to Hagrid, it was apparent that somebody had broken it on purpose just the day before the owls would be sent out to get his letters.

It enraged Draco, even now when he thought about it. He didn't care about the letter for the moment; Gideon was one of the few living things that didn't turn away from him, and for someone to hurt it for no reason out of spite made him furious. Worst of all, he felt like a hypocrite for it. He knew that if this had been two or three years ago, he could've done something similar with a smile on his face.

He wanted to erase it all. The person he was in the past filled him with so much shame that he wanted to pretend those years did not even happen, but how could he if everybody constantly reminded him of it?

Cathryn was kind enough to lend her own owl in place of his. She had proudly introduced it to him and he had safely secured the letter, after which he signed it away. He still remembered it clearly.

The Great Hall was filled with puffy eyed students waiting for their mail, some eating their food slowly while others chatted with their friends. The students did not sit with their house members as was the custom. All rules of that sort were thrown out the window, because inter-house friends existed and the teachers did not want to confine the students, especially those who were recovering. Hogwarts was officially one family instead of four for the time being.

Draco, of course, sat alone. When the mail didn't arrive and he dashed up to the owlery to make his discovery, he came back to see Cathryn patiently waiting for him in the seat beside his. Students stared at them as they sat there chatting. He explained his situation to hers and she looked scary even to Draco. He wasn't surprised when the Great Hall's ceiling changed from white fluffy clouds to roiling grey storm clouds with thunder piercing through once in a while. She had a concerning habit of influencing her environment when feeling emotions too strongly. Draco was surprised at himself when he hoped nobody would start bullying Cathryn as well for being around him.

Today he wasn't expecting any letters. He made sure to tell his parents not to contact him unless it was for something official. Finding no sign of his new friend among the students, he sat down and bit into an apple. He opened his Potion's book and began to read as he munched on it slowly.

A few minutes later, he felt someone flop down next to him. Knowing that it was Cathryn, he did not look up from his book; she usually did all the talking. However, she was oddly silent today. He sneaked a glance at her and did a double take, and lost all the colour in his face.

Her lip was split and a drop of blood was slowly crawling down the side of her mouth. Her left cheek was swollen and growing into a painful purple. She brushed back her disheveled raven hair casually as if getting beaten up was normal to her.

Concern knit up Draco's brow and he dropped his apple with a clutter. "Who did this to you?" he demanded.

"It's a long story," she replied sheepishly.

"I'm not in a hurry."

She sighed. "I had a feeling someone would do something to Mouse after he sent your things too," she said carefully. "Because it'd defeat the purpose of the idiot who's out to get you. So...I thought I'd check the owlery just in case. Found the guy about to snap Mouse's wing, it was some bloke from Gryffindor."

"Anyway," she said, stifling a chuckle, "he looked like a deer in the headlights, I wish you could see his face. Obviously it didn't sit well with him so he started swinging. Oh, and Mouse is safe. Luckily McGonagall was passing by as well and she dragged the culprit away."

"He **punched** you without warning?" Draco asked incredulously.

Cathryn nodded. "He had a really weak arm. Tore out some of my hair and landed...three? Punches or so. Then I kicked him in the crotch once and he was K.O. That's when McGonagall stepped in with her mouth hanging open."

' _K.O?_ ' Draco wondered, bewildered. "You kicked him **where**?" he asked, not believing her.

"His crotch, his asset, the future of his childr-"

"Enough, I got it," he said bringing his palm to his face. A silence settled between them. A part of him was appalled that what he feared actually happened, but a small part of him was happy that she didn't abandon him after experiencing something like that. In fact, she was beaming despite her cut lip, which she was dabbing at with a tissue.

"Don't go about doing that kind of stuff alone," he said finally. "And sorry for bringing you into this," he added.

"Ew, stop apologising. I'd willingly do it again if I had to." She paused. "...Are you worried about me?" she asked with a grin.

He pursed his lips and he felt a smile tugging at them. "No, I don't want to be responsible for you."

She scoffed and hit his head with the newspaper, then unfolded it and looked through the columns. Finding nothing but more news of death and wounded magicians and Muggles alike, she set it back down, her nose wrinkled up in disgust. She hated these depressing things. It was better for her to not know than to know and feel bad at not being able to help.

"Let's go to Hagrid's," she said, tapping Draco on the shoulder. "We could see how Gideon is doing and there's a cute surprise waiting for you there."

"Not until after we take you to Madam Pomfrey," he said with an air of finality. He wondered what kind of a surprise she had for him. Hopefully it wouldn't be a group of students with wands at the ready.

"She's tending to more serious injuries," she argued. "I don't want to waste her time with something as small as thi-"

"You look like a potato right now," he cut in. He pointed towards her cheek. "Or an eggplant. Maybe a half potato half eggpl-"

"Okay, okay, I'll go," she grumbled.


End file.
